NYC’s ex-Big Law candidate goes to court

The only practicing attorney in the mayor’s race is—naturally—suing the elections board.

“That’s certainly the Walden brand,” Jim Walden told me after oral arguments in his case Tuesday.

Walden, a former Gibson Dunn partner, is now a founding partner at Walden Macht Haran & Williams while running for New York City mayor.

His case centers on a New York law barring candidates from running on ballot lines with “Independence” in them. Walden—unaffiliated with a major party—says the restriction violates his free speech rights.

Second Circuit judges appeared torn Tuesday.“Could I get on a ballot as the ‘Real Republican’ party?” ...